What a week to be a Nationals pitcher, you’re six games up in the division and you have the D-backs and the Giants rolling into town. So much of my focus this year has been on Daily Fantasy that I tend to see things through DraftKings colored glasses. If you’re unfamiliar with the format and scoring, pitchers have much higher floors than hitters and the scoring is laser focused on K’s and innings. Low strikeout/ good ratio guys need not apply. Both Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg have been good but I always seem to be a little underwhelmed by what I get from them. I’m hoping for a big week from both of them. The Diamondbacks and Giants are both in the bottom 1/3 of the league in wOBA over the past fortnight and both have a k% over 20%. Don’t be surprised if owners of the Nats frontline starters run the table in ratios this week.

Other than the aforementioned Nationals aces, Max Scherzer‘s week sets up to potentially be a monster one. The Tigers and the Scherz-nit travel to both Tampa and Minnesota, as he faces crappy offenses in pitchers parks. Reverse HodgePadreIan Kennedy gets two road starts this week. I wonder if he’s the first Friars pitcher to be better away from Petco? It’s so confusing I devoted a chapter to it in my forthcoming book “Things That Don’t Make Sense”. Should be a best seller, Gary Busey did the foreword. Most of the content covers the last 5 years and a two week period in 1639. Diamondbacks Ace(?) Chase Anderson looks to continue his hot streak against Washington and San Diego. I don’t see any reason why he couldn’t come away with another two quality starts. Overall this week’s two start pitchers remind me of the stock at a Marshall’s, a couple of finds, a whole bunch of mediocre crap, and a few things so ugly they can’t be unseen.

Scherzer has been on fire of late. Look no further than his 14 K masterpiece against the Pirates on Thursday. This man can do no wrong. As for Sale the matchups aren’t nearly as cushy. Who cares, he’s Chris Sale God Damn it!

Pretty handsome group if I do say so myself. I considered Strasburg for the must start tier but he’s just not on Sale and Scherzer’s level. So I kept him here. All of these guys should be started in all formats.

I’m not sure why Santana is first he just is. I got a feeling deep down in my plums. I really like Trevor Bauer‘s matchups but never know what to expect from him, I wouldn’t be surprised if Wada has the best week of the group. He’s been pretty solid thus far posting a 3.15 ERA, 7.86 K/9 and 2.62 BB/9. I really like his matchup against the Giants a lot, but his second start against Baltimore at Wrigley scares me.

Going back to my Marshall’s analogy this is a pile of nice clothes that are damaged or irregular. I mean you like the shirt, it just has one sleeve much longer than the other one. Or maybe it just gives up too many homers or walks too many batters. I don’t know it’s just not right. A couple of decent matchups in this group but no one you have to start each turn.

I could see starting these guys if you were looking for counting stats in a head to head league. Especially now that playoff time in many of those leagues is drawing near. I like Leake’s start against Atl the best of the six games in the tier. The Braves strikeout a ton and Leake has been pretty damn good this year(7.01 K/9, 2.06 BB/9, 3.59 ERA, 3.43 xFIP). I could see his Atlanta start being a big difference maker for some of the streamers out there.

This is just ugly stuff, if you need to start any of these guys do it at your own peril. Masterson faces two bad offenses but he is Justin King Of Suckitude. He’ll find some way to screw the whole thing up, then pitch a gem when you’ve lost all faith, and gotten to the point of avoiding him as a stream. I wouldn’t start any of them in Roto or H2H leagues. Maybe as a long shot in a daily league.

I’m putting Jerome Williams last because he’s played for three teams this year (Astros, Rangers, Phillies). Though it was tough picking the ugliest girl, in this list of beauties. I think he might be it. Allen Webster can compete for the title considering he finds ways to throw 100 pittches in 2 2/3 innings. Bottom line all of these guys are like a pair of hershey stripped draws. Throw them things out man. It’s poop, but old poop that’s no dried. Ewwwww….

Obie’s a sneaky value play for me. Something like 6 straight QS, plus being a lefty neutralizes the effects of Yankee Stadium and Cleveland’s lineup. I like him in the Elias range.

6×6 (QS) H2H, my opponent loaded up on SP and has 9 starts this weekend. I have 2 starts (Miley and Gray today) now that Hendricks got moved, plus 1 roster move. We’re tied in W and QS, I’m up 5K, and also have SV locked up and am ahead in ratios, big in ERA, little in WHIP. Should I use my move on a meh streamer or concede counting stats on the pitching end and go for SV, ratios and 3+ hitting cats, maybe using my move on a batty call, MR or a 2-starter for next week? Would you even start Miley and/or Gray today?

Thanks for the write-up..I’m lucky enough to have Sale, Zim and Stras going. I also have archer and although he goes against 2 good O’s he plays those teams fairly well. I’m in dire need for wins to maintain my lead on 1st place and my question is would you start Archer over a 1 start Grey who plays the Angeles at home?

@malamoney: Tough call on the Grienke one, mostly because I really don’t love Wada against the O’s. If you need counting stats go Wada. The San Fran start sets up so well, it makes the chances you take with Baltimore worth it. As for Teheran, he is losing my faith with each passing start.

@Sharlie Cheen: I think he’s right where he should be. I like him more than Kennedy and he’s been too hot for the last two months for me to drop him down a tier for the Washington start. He’s had 6 straight Quality Starts and the Nationals are a good offense but don’t scare me that much. He’s had good starts against Detroit and Pitt during his streak. I think he continues his run this week.

Wanda’s K rate was 7.31 in July and is 8.35 in August. Anderson’s was 10.32 in July and is 7 in August. I think it’s close I just like Anderson more. Especially when taking into account QS. 3 of Wada’s 6 starts have been shorter than 6 innings.

why is pineda in that group? what has he done except be great in small sample sizes? and oberholtzer has been solid for his last 6 starts, just low K’s. i’d certainly rather have him than gibson or norris (who is somehow 2 levels up with 2 bad matchups)

@Montezuma’s Revenge… right now: i see above you would stay away from pineda (but you probably should’ve said why in post). dude could seriously (at least based on rates so far this year) have like top 5 ratios of any pitcher listed above. he’s less likely to get wins due to shortened outings. i get that. either way i love you doing this column.

@Montezuma’s Revenge… right now: I’m not high in Pineda. He’s had 5 starts so far and 4 of them were in April. Those April starts were….aided? He went 5 innings last start. If he puts up two quality starts this week and looks like the guy he was in April. He’ll get a bump to the 2nd tier. I just need to see it.

As for Norris he’s been sort of unlucky the last couple if months. His second half FIP is 2.72 in the second half, his K/9 is 9 and his BB/9 is 2.79. I also think with an O’s team chasing the playoffs down the stretch gives him a bump. I always like having pitchers who have something to play for.

As for his matchups over he past two weeks the White Sox are 21st in wOBA and the Cubs are 26th. The Cubs k% is 27% which is outrageous. I’m a K whore so I have all starters a bump going against K heavy offenses like the Cubs or Braves.

@malamoney: You know I looked MLB and Baseball Lineups and assumed Peralta but they could skip someone and move the two of them up with a two rest day week. So there could be a chance for a Fiers double.

With that said he would face the Blue Jays and the Pirates. Two top ten offenses. I also think his great performance against the Cubs had a lot to do with the Cubs strikeout issues. Adding Baez made their offense more exciting but made them even more likely to strikeout.

H2H points league…facing the top team next week, need a win to make the playoffs, need some advice.

I lost Tanaka and JoFer already this year, but I have Strasburg, Cobb, and Santana lined up for next week. Starting Alex Wood and Kenley at RP, have to pick 2 more SP out of:
Stroman, Ventura, Verlander, Peavy, and i just picked up Elias. Or i could pick up another closer (Janssen, Romo, Mejia?) and start Wood at SP…but i need to max points.

He has Sale and Simon with 2 starts, as well as Price, Lester, Kluber, & Shields.

@thatguy: Elias has had 4 straight solid starts and he faces two bad offenses. I still don’t trust him but if he can out of the 6th in both starts I could see him helping you out in the counting stats department. With that said my guy tells me Stroman rights the ship against the Rays and Ventura puts up a good one Friday against the Rangers. Peavy gets the Cubs so he could get some K’s but he’s so consistently inconsistent and he’s been striking out no one. So I’d stay away.

I say go Stroman and Elias. You probably get more toward your points goal with two starts from Elias over one from Ventura.